The programmer can be controlled from the Microchip
MPLAB IDE or from standalone GUI software. When you
install the PICkit 1 software on your PC, these various
version are installed within your Start>Programs menu in
Windows. The first version is the PICkit Classic interface that
supports the parts below:

I copied this information from the Microchip website
and you’ll notice the disclaimer about needing an adapter.
What is interesting is some of the parts listed for the V1.74
or the V1.30 don’t fit in the 14 pin socket. This can add
further confusion for a beginner.

I prefer to use MPLAB so I can write my code and
program the part from one central interface. I believe that
is a better path for the beginner, as well. When you are
running MPLAB — which you can download and install for
free from microchip.com/mplab— you can find out if
a part is supported by MPLAB/PICkit 1 by going to the
configure>select device menu choice and then select your
part from the drop-down menu. I selected the PIC12F675
as seen in the screenshot in Figure 2. It shows a green dot
for the PICkit 1 meaning the PICkit 1 and MPLAB support
that part. The full list of MPLAB/PICkit 1 supported eight
and 14 pin parts are:

Eight Pin
12F508
12F509
12F629
12F635
12F675
12F683

Tutorial

14 Pin
16F688
16F684
16F676
16F636
16F630
16F505

Figure 2. MPLAB Select Device Screen.

68 SERVO 10.2009

The PICkit 1 manual is on the included CD
and can also be downloaded at the Microchip.
com/pickit1 website. The manual has a tutorial
section in it that steps you through seven different
projects. The projects below are:

Each of these lessons has the code included
on the CD (you can also download all of them
as a complete .zip file). Personally, I found the
instructions for these projects a bit difficult for
the beginner to understand, but it’s nice to see
that both assembly and C versions of the code
are included. Also included is a .hex file so
you don’t even have to compile or assemble
the code. You can just program the code